Aftermath
by hummingyay
Summary: Crossposted on Ao3. Episode S3: Ladybug. Marinette's back in school, thanks to Lila, but the incident brings up some questions that lead to an official investigation on the staff at Francois Dupont. Miss Bustier finds that she has some investigating to do herself.
1. Caline: A Simple Mistake

Like most people, Caline Bustier made mistakes. She was human. She regularly made typos in business emails, occasionally sorted her recycling incorrectly, and even made a few mistakes while grading her students' papers. Caline made mistakes, and she was perfectly fine with that.

What she wasn't okay with, however, was the colossal mistake that she had made at the expense of one 14-year-old girl.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng sat in a chair in the principal's office, flanked by her parents, listening closely as one tearful Lila Rossi confessed to Mr. Damocles that the past day had been a massive misunderstanding. Lila cried as she apologized to Marinette, sharing that she had a rare medical condition that caused to her say things she didn't mean.

The entire story brought tears to the principal's eyes but to Caline Bustier, Lila's elaborate tale of triumphs and failures, neatly wrapped up in a heartfelt apology towards Marinette ignited something dark and heavy in the pit of her stomach.

Judging by the looks on the Dupain-Cheng family's faces, she was sure she wasn't the only one who felt that something wasn't right.

"Of course Marinette," Damocles sniffed, blowing his nose into a handkerchief, "You may come back to school as soon as now, if you'd like."

Sabine Cheng placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder, "That's it?" she said. "All of this, and you're just admitting her back into school? Just like that?"

"Of course. No harm, no foul."

Sabine's dark gray eyes glinted furiously at Mr. Damocles. He seemed to shrink under her angry gaze, quickly adding onto his casual comment.

"Well, what else is there? You heard the story. It was a misunderstanding, and Miss Rossi here had already explained-"

"-Oh, I heard the explanation," Sabine interrupted, "What I want to know is why you or Miss Bustier," Caline winced at the venomous mention of her name, "hadn't properly investigated this the first time."

"Madame Cheng..." Mr. Damocles began, but Sabine stepped around her daughter, leaning down to meet the principal's eyes.

"I got a call saying that my daughter, who has had impeccable grades since she started grade school, stole an answer key, pushed Miss Rossi down the stairs where nobody saw or even checked it out with a nurse, and stashed her grandmother's stolen necklace into her locker, where we conveniently found it after Miss Rossi shows us my daughter's unsecured locker."

Sabine's fingers curled into the desk, "You then expel my daughter, humiliate her in front of her classmates, and decide that everything's fine because of this story that Miss Rossi has conveniently conjured up without any mention of a doctor's note."

"Actually, Madame Cheng-"

"Lila, don't," Caline shushed, patting her student's back, "Let her finish."

"How do you think that makes my daughter feel, Mr. Damocles?" Sabine questioned furiously, "To know that the staff at this school made her feel humiliated and unsafe? You haven't even offered her an apology. None of you have, and you expect me to allow her to come back to this school?"

"Maman, it's okay-" Marinette replied.

"No, it's not," this time Marinette's father spoke, his booming voice almost shaking the picture framed on the walls. Tom Dupain dropped two large hands on Marinette's shoulders, comforting his daughter. Tom looked Damocles in the eye, frowning deeply.

"This entire ordeal has put our family through emotional distress due to your negligence. Mr. Damocles, I'm afraid we're going to have to bring this up with the board."

Mr. Damocles, as Caline recalled, typically saw no threat in parents like Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng. When he had to deal with the likes of Audrey and Andre Bourgeois, Gabriel Agreste, and the rest of Paris' upper crust families, she supposed he considered the owners of Paris' premier boulangerie-patisserie to be the least of his worries.

How sorely mistaken he was.

Mr. Damocles paled at Marinette's hulking father. Like she had seen in Marinette, Caline noted that Tom Dupain had a very strong moral compass and wasn't afraid to stand up to authority when something was wrong.

"T-There's really no need..."

"Actually, there is," he replied, "you have no idea what could have happened to Marinette-"

"Papa, Mama-can I just go back to class now?" Marinette asked, exasperated, "This entire debacle has put me behind in schoolwork by a few days, and I'd really like to catch up."

"Of course, Marinette," Sabine said, "And if you need to come home for any reason at all, call us."

"Miss Bustier," Mr. Damocles instructed, "Please escort Miss Dupain-Cheng and Miss Rossi back to class while I sort this out."

"Of course," Caline replied, ushering the two girls out of the classroom.

By the time the office door had closed, Sabine and Tom were almost yelling at the principal, blaming his incompetence for the disruption in their daughter's schoolwork.

The tension on the way back was palpable, even with Lila chatting away despite Marinette's half-hearted answers.

"Oh, Marinette, I am glad that you weren't expelled," Lila prattled on, "and I am sorry for this little misunderstanding. I'll be more careful next time."

Caline noticed Marinette bristle at Lila's apology.

"Yeah," Marinette replied, "Just make sure you keep a better eye on your grandmother's necklace. And watch your step when you're walking by stairs. And make sure you know where your own locker and backpack are before you go lobbing stuff in there."

Lila didn't seem offended at Marinette's not-so-subtle dig, "You're so silly, Marinette. Whatever would the class do without their everyday Ladybug?"

"I'm sure they'd be okay."

Caline cleared her throat, "Alright girls, we're here. Lila, go ahead and take your seat. I want to talk to Marinette for a second."

Lila nodded and flounced away, leaving Caline with the disgruntled young lady.

"Marinette," Caline said, "I know the past few days have been rough, but I want to make sure you're okay before we move forward."  
Marinette looked her teacher in the face, and Caline took note of the intense fire burning beyond the girl's bright blue eyes. She wrinkled her nose, "I'm okay with coming back to school. What I'm not okay with is Lila getting away with lying all the time."

Caline groaned, "Marinette, what did we talk about-"

"I know that she's lying!" Marinette interrupted, "That test you gave was on geography. I have perfect marks in that class—I even aced your pop quizzes and answered every single question right when you called me up to the board. Why would I cheat on a subject that I'm already good at?!"

Caline hadn't thought about that before.

"None of this makes sense!" Marinette confided, "Lila said I pushed her down the stairs, but nobody checks it out with the nurse or calls her mom. Lila said that I stole her grandmother's necklace and knew that it would conveniently be in my locker—we don't even have locks for those!"

Marinette's voice had risen considerably as she drew up her frustrations against her classmate to Caline, "And, okay, let's say that she has a rare medical condition that makes her say whatever. That doesn't explain how the answer key got into my bag or how the necklace got into my locker!"

That dark, unpleasant feeling Caline had felt before dropped into the pit of her stomach. She felt as if ice cold water had been dumped over her head, shocking her still as she came upon the realization that Marinette was right.

None of this did make sense.

"I'll retake that test if I have to, Miss Bustier," Marinette continued, "And I will ace it, because it's me. If anyone can ace a geography test, it's going to be me. I don't need an answer key to pass."

Caline nearly winced at the dig, but figured that she deserved it after all.

"The only thing I ask from you is to keep Lila away from me in class. It's better for the class, and it's better for me."

Caline didn't know what to do, other than to nod.

Marinette nodded in return and entered the classroom.

The classroom was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop when they arrived, a rather disturbing difference in comparison to its normal rowdy energy. Caline could see Lila happily bouncing in her seat, sharing with Nathaniel her latest conversation with a world-renowned manga artist in Japan.  
The entire back row of the class seemed enthralled in her thrilling tale.

Marinette, on the other hand, gave everyone a noncommittal wave and quietly slid into her row next to Alya. The red-head wrapped a comforting arm around the girl. Caline watched as Nino and Adrien turned around in their seats as well to greet Marinette.

"Dude, we missed you!" Nino cried.

"Yeah, I missed you guys too," Marinette said, "the past two days have been...stressful to say the list. I think I'm experiencing whiplash at this point."

"You didn't miss a lot in class," Alya offered, "We primarily did review packs and vocab review."

"And if you need our help, Marinette," Adrien added, placing a gentle hand on her arm, "We'll definitely help you out."

Caline watched as the girl turned pink and hastily thanked her classmates before unpacking her supplies. As Caline prepared to start her afternoon lesson, she began to hope that things would look up. It was so unfortunate that one of her best students had been dealt such a horrible hand over the past few days.

Marinette was back in her class, everyone was happy, and Caline was more than prepared to help the class move on.

"Miss Bustier!" Lila raised her hand, "Since Marinette's going to be busy doing make up work, do you think it'd be better for me and her to switch seats? So the lesson won't distract her while she's filling out those packets?"

Caline considered herself extremely empathetic, however, the sheer force of rage that rippled through Marinette Dupain-Cheng's body threw her off. This was Marinette. Her happy-go-lucky student who goes out of her way for all her friends.

It wasn't until Caline saw Alya shift to cover Marinette's clenched fist with a comforting hand that Caline finally made a decision.

"As much as I appreciate your concern for Marinette, Lila," Caline replied smoothly, "I will be the one deciding seating charts from now on, and how people will be doing make up work."

Lila frowned, "I just wanted to help her," she countered, green eyes growing misty, "After all, it is my fault she was expelled. If only I didn't have this super rare medical condition..."

"Oh no! What's wrong Lila?"

"Please let us know how we can help!"

"Marinette, let her switch with you. She only wants to help!"

"Yeah, Marinette. Lila didn't mean it, let her help you. Switch seats!"

The classroom erupted into pandemonium, and Caline was struggling to call attention to the front. Through the chaos, she saw movement in the front and quickly averted her eyes in that direction.

Adrien Agreste rose to his feet, and turned to face the back of the classroom.

"Marinette isn't going anywhere," he snapped, an out-of-character gesture from the normally shy student, "You already heard Miss Bustier. Stop badgering Marinette."

"Have I touched a nerve, Adrien?" Lila asked, challenging Marinette's newest defender, "I didn't mean to get Marinette in trouble when I fell-"

"But you did," Adrien answered, "and you said you're sorry so it's fine. And if you really wanted to help her, you'd let Miss Bustier continue her lesson."

The class fell silent yet again, giving Caline the chance to clear the tension in the room.

"Alright kids, let's get started-"

Caline Bustier was far from a perfect person, but she was always more than willing to own up to her mistakes.

It seemed that this particular mistake was going to be challenging to overcome.


	2. Caline: The Good Doctor

**Notes: **Thank you all for your positive feedback! I'm thrilled that you are all liking what I've written so far. This chapter, I am introducing an OC of mine who is based off one of my favorite characters in this Australian crime drama I'm obsessed with.

Updates to this story can be found on my tumblr geek-baits.

* * *

**Caline: The Good Doctor**

**To:** H. P. Damocles**  
Cc: **Caline Bustier, Priscille O. Mendeleiev, Armand D'Argencourt, Fred Hapréle, Roberte Delacroix (13 others)

**Subject: **Ongoing Investigation

**From: **Dr. Ursule J. Robespierre

Good Morning all,

A recent event occurred at Collège Françoise Dupont in which a student was wrongfully expelled. To my understanding, another student pressed very serious and disturbing allegations against the former party, and these allegations were not adequately or fairly investigated.

The student accused's parents filed their concerns with the Ministry of National Education yesterday afternoon, and thus I will be conducting a thorough investigation on this matter. I ask for your full cooperation on this matter, as we are working to rectify this grave error.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Best,

Dr. Ursule J. Robespierre  
**Ministry of National Education**

* * *

There wasn't enough coffee in the world to help Caline through this morning, especially after receiving the damning email from the actual _minister _of National Education. Sure, it wasn't particularly surprising, given that Lila Rossi's mother was an esteemed diplomat and was bound to gain traction from the media and politicians alike.

She downed her third cup of coffee, and stalked over to the coffee machine in the teachers lounge for another cup.

"I could've sworn you took yours with milk and sugar," remarked Priscille Mendeleiev. The physics teacher peered up at Caline through her rectangle spectacles, observing the piping hot cup in between her hands.

Caline threw herself in the chair next to her colleague, "Not when the minister's planning on making regular visits to the school and your job is possibly on the line."

Priscille snorted, "Caline, don't be ridiculous-"

"I'm serious!" Caline cried, "It's already bad enough that I didn't even pull Marinette out of the classroom to ask her about the answer key..."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

"Yes," the redhead sighed, "She was the student who was expelled. Granted, it was only for like a day, but it was enough for her parents to officially send in a complain to the ministry, and for them to come and investigate."

Priscille placed down the stack of exams she was grading on the table, her attention fully on Caline, "Explain."

Caline rehashed the whole nightmare that resulted in an unjust expulsion, a near akuma attack, and a government-backed investigation. The entire time, Priscille listened, not saying anything other than the occasional grunt, acknowledging what Caline was saying. The more Caline talked, the less the entire story made sense to her.

"Yeah, I'm not too sure about that," Priscille said after Caline's riveting tale came to a close.

"I'm not either!" Caline exclaimed, "I just can't understand how or why this happened!"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng consistently produces excellent work in my classes," Priscille reflected, "Considering that, and what I've seen her do for her classmates, I highly doubt she is capable of doing any of those horrible things. Tell me Caline, where exactly did you receive this anonymous tip?"

Caline grimaced, "...well, Lila Rossi might've had a word with me before class started."

Priscille suddenly jolted away from Caline, running her long fingers through her short violet locks, "_Caline_!" she snapped, "Are you a teacher or a gossip mill?"

"I know I didn't think this through-"

"No, you did more than that," Priscille interrupted, "You have allowed Lila Rossi to _manipulate you_ into humiliating Marinette."

Caline paused, "What do you mean?"

Irritated, Priscille sat back against her chair, and reached for her pen and uncapped it. She began grading again as she spoke.

"You receive a tip from Lila Rossi claiming that Marinette Dupain-Cheng stole your answer key to a test in a subject that you are well-aware that she excels in, and search her in front of the entire class," Priscille began. She circled a big vibrant "F" on top of one test paper before starting on the next.

"You then send the girls down to the headmaster's office, where Lila alleges Marinette pushed her down the stairs-"

"To be fair, she _was _at the bottom of the stairs when they were found-"

"And, to your testament, CCTV wasn't checked and the school nurse wasn't called in either," Priscille countered easily. Caline deflated and gestured for her to continue.

"Lila _then _alleges that Marinette has been bullying her since the start of the term, and stole one of her personal belongings, where it was conveniently found in Marinette's locker."

"The locker wasn't enough evidence?" Caline asked.

This part of the story had been sent to Caline via email from the headmaster. It had been a shocking surprise, and one that she couldn't bear to explain to the students. Of course, that didn't stop them from asking about Marinette.

The few who were in the locker room at the time were far too upset to mention anything. Could they have gotten it wrong, even with so many people around to see Lila's necklace in Marinette's locker?

A cold, dark sensation bloomed in the pit of Caline's stomach as Priscille answered Caline's question.

"Not when there are flimsy allegations involving the same two parties and unsecured lockers that are easily accessible to anyone," Priscille drawled, "When I taught physics at an American high school, all of those lockers were _secured_. Only accessible with a 3 code combination. It's not the same here, so if someone wanted to plant incriminating evidence in Marinette's locker, then they would have."

Caline's gut wrenched at the implication.

"Furthermore, while I _do _respect the headmaster, I must say that his acceptance of Lila's medical condition is quite intriguing to say the least," Priscille continued, "Had Ms. Rossi's mother informed us beforehand and offered a doctor's note, this entire thing wouldn't have happened. As far as I'm concerned, there are quite a few people who owe Marinette Dupain-Cheng and her parents an apology, and that's why the ministry is here."

"Priscille...what are you trying to say?"

Priscille very deliberately wrote an "A+" on the test she had been grading. She circled it with finality and held the test paper up for Caline to see.

_Marinette Dupain-Cheng_.

"What I'm saying is that Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a good kid, and good kids don't cheat on tests in subjects that they're already good at, push people down the stairs, or stash tacky pendants in their lockers."

Caline _did _agree with Priscille. After all, she has taught Marinette for two years now. She knew very well what Marinette was capable of and what she has done in the past. Nothing added up, but all the things that Lila mentioned were convincing enough.

"Perhaps," Priscille suggested innocently, "Marinette isn't the person to be investigated, but rather the accusing party _and _the powers of authority that allowed this to happen in the first place."

Caline's cup of coffee felt cold in her hands, but she didn't need it anymore. Not when her own colleague gave her a proverbial wake up call. Priscille Mendeleiev stood from the table, her test papers clutched in her arms, "Well, we must get on with the day now."

Caline's cerulean eyes followed the colleague's tall form as she made her way to the door. Priscille paused, "Oh, and Caline?"

"Y...yes?" Caline stammered.

"I always distribute multiple versions of my test," she shared conspiratorially, "Variety is the spice of life."

"I'll keep that in mind," Caline muttered.

Priscille nodded, and disappeared from the teacher's lounge, the click-clack of her heels still echoing in the empty halls.

* * *

**To: **Caline Bustier

**Cc: **Priscille O. Mendeleiev, Armand D'Argencourt, Roberte Delacroix

**Subject: **RE: Ongoing Investigation

**From: **H. P. Damocles

Good morning all,

As you all may know, we will be expecting some officials from the ministry to continue the ongoing investigation involving Lila Rossi and Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I expect that you will all do your part to helping your students acclimate to the environment change.

Given that Lila Rossi and Marinette Dupain-Cheng will be attending your classes at some point during the day, I am asking you all to monitor any possible confrontations that may occur between the two and report back to me immediately should you find anything suspicious going on.

I would also like to disclose to the staff teaching Lila Rossi that she informed me that she was recently diagnosed with a rare medical condition that causes her to make some outlandish statements. Given the sensitive nature of the situation, please be aware when addressing Miss Rossi.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Kind Regards,

H. P. Damocles**  
Headmaster**  
**Collège Françoise Dupont**

* * *

Five minutes before 9 AM, Caline strolled through the hall towards her classroom door, juggling her coffee and textbooks to get her through her morning lessons. Her homeroom class had already assembled, and, to her dismay, her kids were up in arms yelling at each other.

She decided to wait a few moments to hear what the ruckus was about.

"I don't know what you guys are upset about," Kim pondered to a fuming Alya, Nino and Adrien, "I only asked if Marinette _really _pushed Lila down the stairs. You've had to heard the rumors by now."

Caline's heart sank when Marinette muttered something and slumped lower in her seat. The raven-haired girl cleared her throat, "Guys.."

"It's just a question Marinette," Alix chided, "It's not a difficult one either."

Alya spun around furiously, her vibrant tresses swinging wildly in the air. The energy she exuded was electric, her fury zipping through the classroom like a live wire, shocking her classmates into leaning back.

Kim crossed his arms, a brow cocked inquisitively at the redhead.

"The rumors are _false_," she barked, "Lila has a medical condition that causes her to say things that she doesn't mean. She said so herself, right Lila?"

The class whipped around at Lila, who at this point seemed uninterested in the conversation. She tapped her pencil against her notebook, humming thoughtfully.

"Oh, um, well one symptom of my condition is that I suffer from memory loss," she replied, "I can't even remember what I had for breakfast, much less what happened between me and _Marinette_. That is, if anything happened at all."

Caline frowned.

That particular symptom hadn't been disclosed to the nurse's office. She made a mental note to bring it up to the headmaster later on that afternoon.

She leaned closer to the door to get a good look at what was going on.

It was a standoff, the entire class, save for Kim, was seated and peering down at Marinette. Alya and Adrien hovered protectively over the girl, while Nino sat in the back, observing the entire showdown. Lila didn't seem intimidated by the incredulous stares Adrien and Alya gave her.

Lila threw a pointed look at the girl, "I'm sure it was an accident, and Marinette didn't mean whatever she did-"

"_She,_" Adrien cut in, protectively placing a hand on Marinette's shoulder, "didn't do a thing. And it's _your _fault this happened in the first place."

"What's your damage, Agreste?" Kim demanded.

"What's _your _damage, Kim?" Alya interjected. "Marinette got in trouble for things she didn't do, and there's an open investigation because of it!"

Caline grimaced. Sure, she knew that word of the investigation was going to break out, given the fact that it involved not just Marinette, but also the daughter of a powerful diplomat. That didn't mean she was expecting people to know this soon.

The entire class gasped.

"No way!"

"How?"

"Why?"

Alya pushed her glasses up her nose, "I overheard some teachers talking about it just now, but the point is that you shouldn't be harassing Marinette at all."

"Well, what about Lila?" Mylene questioned, "You guys seem to be fairly peeved with her."

"Oh, Mylene you don't have to defend me," Lila cut in, "Like Adrien said, I'm sure whatever happened was _my _fault," Caline could hear the young girl sniffle in her seat, "It must be my fault, otherwise Marinette wouldn't hate me so much."

The class muttered anxiously among each other, only pausing when Marinette pushed her chair back, its metal legs scraping loudly on the linoleum floor.

"I don't hate you, and I never said I did either," Marinette challenged, triggering more tears on Lila's end.

"Yes, you did!" Lila shouted, "You said that on my first day when you bullied me in the bathroom!"

"_What_?!" the class erupted.

"Marinette, how could you!?"

Caline decided then that she'd heard enough. Swooping into the classroom, she dropped her textbooks onto her desk, calling the class to attention. The noise died down, save for Lila's uncontrollable sobs in the back.

"That is _quite _enough," Caline scolded, "Now, you all know better than to yell like this."

"But Miss Bustier-" Mylene piped, "Lila said that Marinette bullied her in the bathroom."

Caline pinched the bridge of her nose, "Okay. Marinette and Lila, please step out into the hall. The rest of you, take out your review packets and complete sections 12 through 17."

Marinette and Lila stalked into the hall, where Caline followed, shutting the door quietly behind her. She turned to her students, and crossed her arms.

"I'm going to give each of you a chance to explain. Do you understand?" Both girls nodded in acknowledgement, "Lila, you may go first."

Fresh tears welled up in Lila's eyes, "O-On my first day back, Marinette was upset with me because she thought that I was lying, and threatened me in the bathroom!" she cried.

Aghast, Marinette stared helplessly at Caline.

"I don't know why she hates me so much," Lila sobbed, "I only wanted to be her friend, and she's just so _mean _to me!"

Caline's eyes flitted from Marinette to Lila, listening to Lila's story before pausing on room 104 down the hall. Priscille's room. She wondered how Priscille would handle this situation.

"_Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a good kid_," Priscille's words echoed in the back of her mind.

Caline believed this to the very core of her being.

Marinette did not have a cruel bone in her body.

And yet...here Lila Rossi was, crying her heart out, saying something that Caline had trouble believing. Just like the test papers, and the necklace, and the stairs, and her medical condition.

Caline looked into Marinette's eyes, which were wide with terror.

"Marinette," Caline calmly said, "...is this true?"

"No!" Marinette gasped, "I've never bullied Lila! I swear, I didn't do anything to her. She's lying!"

Caline was sure of it. After all, she'd known Marinette for a number of years and the girl had never exhibited signs of bullying. Children don't just become bullies overnight. She nodded at Marinette, who took the gesture as a sign that she could relax.

Lila, on the other hand, was hysterical.

"I can't believe you're calling me a _liar_! You're just jealous _of me!_" Lila yelled, "Miss Bustier-"

"Lila," Caline sighed, "I cannot simply take your word without proof. This is exactly what happened last time."

"But it _really _happened," Lila insisted, "It was 3 months ago, right when I came back after visiting Prince Ali in Achu."

"-but how would you remember such an event if you have chronic memory loss?" Marinette countered angrily. "You _just _said you have chronic memory loss and can't even remember what you had for breakfast."

"Well, it was so traumatic," Lila snapped, "_You _traumatized me so much that I was forced to relive it-"

"Lila, enough." Caline said, "Both of you, please go back to the classroom and start on your work."

"But Miss Bustier," Lila simpered, "I'm not sure I will be able to concentrate with Marinette so upset at me-"

"Excuse me," another voice interjected, "I believe your instructor just gave you a directive."

A woman stepped out from the school's main corridor into the light. She towered over everybody in present company, at about six feet, dressed in a dark green pantsuit, black heels that were meticulously polished, and black leather gloves. Her dark hair was pulled from her severe-looking face, neatly tied into a bun at the base of her neck. Caline could see some silver strands shining in the morning light. The woman's dark eyes revealed nothing as she peered down her hooked nose at Lila Rossi.

Lila stopped speaking, mouth wide open as she took in the imposing interloper.

The woman raised an elegant brow, "Well? You're here to become productive members of society, not to catch flies with your gaping mouth. Now, off to class!"

Marinette and Lila both scurried into the classroom, leaving Caline out in the hall with the stranger. She didn't wait for Caline to speak.

"Maintaining order," the woman began, "can be difficult when emotions run high. One little outburst can produce a classroom full of misfits."

Caline didn't answer.

The woman offered Caline a gloved hand, "Dr. Ursule Robespierre. I will be conducting the investigation for the incident that occurred under your watch."

Caline accepted the doctor's hand, "Caline Bustier."

"Pleasure." Dr. Robespierre peered into the window of Caline's classroom, observing the children for a moment before walking back towards the headmaster's office, "I will be in your company for the next few weeks Miss Bustier. I do hope that you will have...a better handle of any unruly students that find it appropriate to wail in the halls of this educational institution the next time I see you," she nodded to Caline, "Good day."

Caline stood in the hall until the doctor's footsteps faded away.

Slowly, she backed up against the wall, and slumped down, sinking until she was fully seated on the ground.

She didn't stand up for a while.


	3. Marinette: The Interrogation Room

**Notes: **Thanks for supporting this fic! Your reviews, favorites and alerts mean the world to me! As always, updates to this story can be found on my tumblr, geek-baits.

* * *

**Marinette: **The Interrogation Room

**Incident Report**

**Reported by: **Sabine Cheng, Thomas Dupain  
**Date of Report: **XX-XX-XXXX (REDACTED)  
**Incident No.: **66613

**Incident Description:  
**Sabine Cheng and Thomas Dupain's daughter, Marinette Dupain-Cheng (14), was wrongfully expelled from Collège François Dupont. According to school records, Dupain-Cheng was accused of (1) cheating on a geography test, (2) pushing a student, Lila Rossi (14), down the stairs, and (3) stealing a necklace from Rossi.

According to school records, Dupain-Cheng was found guilty by Principal H.P. Damocles and Miss Caline Bustier on the following pieces of evidence: (1) the missing answer key to Bustier's test was found in Dupain-Cheng's backpack, (2) Rossi was found at the bottom of the staircase, informing witnesses from nearby classrooms that she was pushed down the stairs by Dupain-Cheng and (3) Rossi's missing necklace was found in Dupain-Cheng's locker.

The incident nearly resulted in _six _akumas on site.

The day after Dupain-Cheng's expulsion had been processed, Rossi stepped forward denying the accusations against Dupain-Cheng, leading to a reinstatement to Collège François Dupont.

* * *

Upon further investigation, the Ministry of National Education hereby recommends an investigation regarding this incident.

"It'll be fine, Marinette!"

Marinette glanced nervously over her shoulder at her kwami. Tikki zipped around her chosen, cuddling close to the girl's cheek in hopes that her good energy would rub off on the girl. Marinette smiled softly at Tikki before taking a good look at her mirror.

Everything was in place.

She was dressed, her face was washed, her hair was neatly combed into her pigtails, she even had her bags ready.

It should be okay; things were back to normal. Everything should be fine, right?

"I'm not so sure about this," Marinette confided, "An _investigation _is opened on the school because of me—"

"No," Tikki interrupted, "It's because Lila was dishonest, and Miss Bustier and Mr. Damocles didn't properly perform their jobs as your instructor. That isn't your fault."

"But I _feel_ like it's my fault…" Marinette grumbled.

After meeting the doctor in the hall yesterday, Marinette swore to continue her school day without doing so much as _looking _at Lila. For all she knew, Lila could suddenly develop some condition where Marinette's stare felt like a gorgon's lethal gaze and she'd wind up getting Marinette expelled again.

"I know it doesn't feel good," Tikki comforted, "but that just means you care about Miss Bustier and Mr. Damocles. Marinette, you're a good person, and you have a big heart, but that doesn't mean that what they did was okay."

"I know…" Marinette replied, "I just can't help but hope that this passes by _quickly_."

"It will!" Tikki promised, "But you gotta just keep your head up, okay?"

Marinette sighed, and nodded. Tikki was normally right about these things. After all, she was a thousands-old all-powerful deity.

Tikki smiled widely at the girl before diving head first into her sling purse.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

_Alya: (08:11) I'm hereeeeeee.  
Marinette: (08:11) Coming!_

At least Alya was somewhat on her side now. Though Alya was still in the dark about Lila consciously lying on the Ladyblog, Marinette could tell that this latest game Lila started created the tiniest fissure in Alya's trust in the girl.

Marinette could sense a storm brewing on the horizon between her best friend and Lila, but she also knew that at the moment, she wasn't able to do anything about it.

Marinette threw her backpack over her shoulders and bounded down stairs to meet Alya in the living room.

"Ready to be destroyed by Mendeleiev's test today?" Alya greeted, "I'm _praying _that she isn't going to make us predict the trajectory of a rocket launch."

"Well now that you've spoken it into existence," Marinette snorted, "I'm sure she's gonna have an entire _section _dedicated to that. _And _they'll be word problems, too."

The trip to school wasn't particularly eventful, especially since Marinette lived a stone's throw away.

Their arrival to the classroom, however, made Marinette want to walk all the way back home and cancel today all together.

"Alya, Marinette! Did you see Adrien and Lila's photoshoot?!" Rose asked excitedly. She waved her phone in front of their faces, showing the girls the gallery of photos released by Gabriel. Alya gasped, and grabbed the phone, flipping through the images.

"I didn't even know that Lila was a model!" she exclaimed, "That's crazy!"

Marinette didn't respond.

Gently, she plucked the phone from Alya's hands and peered down at the material. There it was. Her tormentor huddled up and looking cozy beside the love of her life. Headlines in bold, black type brought Marinette's bleary gaze to the top of the page.

**We are OBSESSED with Gabriel's new It Girl, Lila Rossi!**

**Liladrien? Adrila? Either way, we ship it!**

**Lila Rossi, Gabriel's new It Girl, is BFFs with Ladybug and Jagged Stone! **

Marinette didn't understand how exactly Lila got an in with Gabriel, but Marinette certainly wasn't impressed.

No, she was confused.

Too confused to actually form words and too shocked to settle on an emotion.

It was almost as if someone had dumped ice cold water over her head.

Hadn't Adrien defended her the day before?

Marinette specifically remembered Adrien coming to her aid and comforting her in the classroom before Miss Bustier pulled her and Lila out. Not to mention, he seemed angry with the girl as well, so if that was the case then _why _was he posing on a spread for a Gabriel campaign with _Lila _of all people?

Marinette couldn't comprehend what she was feeling.

"Yeah, that's great," Marinette grumbled, handing the phone back to Rose. She trudged back to her desk, slid into her seat, and began unpacking, fighting off the unpleasant emotions that were coursing through her veins at this very second.

Jealousy. Anger. Sadness. Resignation. Loneliness. Helplessness.

They swirled in her head, casting a stormy haze over Marinette's blue bell eyes. _Why Lila? _Marinette questioned. _Why is it that every time I set out to do the right thing, it blows up in my face? Why is it that Lila gets to lie about every single thing and she gets rewarded for it? _

And where was Adrien in all this? He was the one who told her that exposing Lila would only hurt her and get her akumatized. Why did he change is tune yesterday?

_Why was he posing in a Gabriel campaign with Lila_?!

Marinette didn't understand.

Her head was pounding, her mouth was dry, her ears were aching—the classroom, with its bright lights and loud noise were overstimulating her senses and Marinette just wanted to _leave_.

She knew she didn't want to receive another absence, especially since her attendance wasn't the greatest, so Marinette just resorted to arranging her books on her desk until Miss Bustier arrived.

She could feel Tikki patting her hip from the inside of her bag, comforting Marinette.

_It'll be okay, Marinette, _Marinette imagined Tikki saying.

How she loved her little kwami.

Motion in the row in front of Marinette drew her attention to the front. Adrien smiled widely at the girl—her heart _throbbed_—before plopping down in his seat.

"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien greeted, "It's good to see you back."

It took Marinette a few moments to realize that he was waiting for her to reply, his iridescent green eyes patiently searching hers for an answer. Marinette swallowed, pushing away her treacherous thoughts, deciding that she couldn't afford to have a meltdown so early in the morning.

"Y…Yeah," she replied, "It's good to be back."

"Did you manage to get the notes from the classes you missed?" Adrien asked, "If you want, I can e-mail them to you?"

Marinette smiled, though she was certain it was more of an Adrien-induced reflex rather than a genuine reaction at this point in time. "I'd appreciate that."

"I'll send it over right now!" Adrien promised, before spinning around in his seat to tap away on his tablet. A few moments later, Marinette's tablet pinged.

* * *

**To: **Marinette Dupain-Cheng  
**Cc: **  
**Subject: **Notes  
**From: **Adrien Agreste

Marinette, do you think we can talk today at lunch?

Also, if there's anything you don't understand in the notes, feel free to ask me! (:

_[ATTACHMENT 1: Notes_XX_XX_XXXX_Bustier]_

* * *

Marinette's head snapped up from her tablet, her eyes immediately meeting Adrien's hopeful smile. She could feel the bitter resentment from only a few moments before beginning to melt. Slowly, she turned back to her tablet.

* * *

**To: **Adrien Agreste  
**Cc:  
Subject: **RE: Notes  
**From: **Marinette Dupain-Cheng

I'd like that, and thanks for the notes. If you want, we can go to my house?

* * *

Adrien wasted no time in replying; she could see him practically bouncing in his seat as he typed out his answer.

His eagerness to spend time with Marinette miraculously banished her previous darker thoughts. Marinette figured that it wasn't a surprise since it _was _Adrien we were talking about. She shook her head, snickering to herself before checking his reply.

* * *

**To: **Marinette Dupain-Cheng  
**Cc: **  
**Subject: **Re: Re: Notes  
**From: **Adrien Agreste

Yes! I was meaning to try something else out from the bakery. What was today's macaron flavor today? I didn't get a good look at the sign when I drove by. Mango? Peach?

* * *

"Passionfruit, actually." Marinette answered easily, prompting Adrien to whirl around in his seat.

His eyes sparkled, and Marinette felt her heart stutter as Adrien leaned closer to her face. His cheeks warmed with giddiness.

"Really?!" Adrien said, "That's my favorite!"

"I know it is," Marinette replied. _I do, after all, dedicate my Sunday mornings to making one just for this occasion. _

Adrien paused and looked at the girl quizzically, asking her a silent question, a gentle smile on his face.

The gears started spinning again in Marinette's head, and she fought the urge to fling herself out of her seat to panic.

Marinette flushed upon realizing her mistake, quickly adding, "Because _you're _my favorite flavor! I mean, you're _everyone's _favorite! _I mean_, it's everyone's favorite flavor! Because it's that good."

Adrien didn't seem to mind her response, instead choosing to place his hand over hers. His long fingers calmed her restless hands, bringing Marinette out of her Adrien-induced panic long enough to catch what he said next.

"I'm really looking forward to it," he said quietly, truthfully.

Her face _burned_.

"M-Me too!" Marinette squeaked.

And just like that, Marinette's mood improved exponentially. Not even Lila, who skipped into the classroom a mere 30 seconds later, could bring Marinette's spirits down.

"Nice photoshoot, Lila!" Mylene complimented from the back of the classroom.

"Oh, you're too kind," Lila giggled, "But I shouldn't take all the credit."

Lila reached over to run her fingers through Adrien's hair, "Adrien was there to help me. We make such a great team, don't we Adrien?"

Adrien had still been speaking to Marinette and hadn't sensed Lila approaching until she was already touching him. Marinette observed her friend's reaction closely, drawing her brows together in concentration.

His hand, still on hers, had frozen, as well as the rest of him. His shoulders were drawn upwards and he sat up straight, his back uncomfortably stiff.

His reaction brought Marinette out of her nervousness immediately, replaced with the need to protect him and tell Lila to _get her hands off of him_.

Why hadn't she noticed this before?

Frowning, Marinette flipped her hand up from underneath Adrien's, grabbing hold of his fingers and squeezing gently. That seemed to do the trick, as Adrien quickly ducked out from underneath Lila's hand scooting backwards towards Marinette.

Lila didn't seem to appreciate the gesture.

"Something wrong, Adrien?"

"No," he answered, "just startled, is all."

Lila pursed her lips suspiciously but didn't reply to Adrien's comment. Instead, she immediately focused on Adrien and Marinette's joined hands. Her hazel eyes were blazing, and she shot Marinette a look that she could only interpret as threatening.

With Adrien's hand in hers, Marinette felt brave. The Marinette of a few days ago would have called Lila out for being deceitful, being an overall _pain_, being so grossly unaware of Adrien's personal space—the Marinette of a few days ago would've sought immediate justice, but the Marinette of a few days ago wasn't aware of the lengths Lila Rossi would go to hurt her and the people she cared about.

"Something wrong, Lila?" Marinette challenged.

The class fell silent now, watching the tension between their two classmates unfold. Lila smiled sweetly at Marinette.

"Nothing at all, Marinette," she replied, though her eyes read something completely different. "I'm just so glad you aren't upset with me because my medical condition, but I guess we can call it even, after our conversation in the bathroom a few weeks ago," the class murmured about Lila's emotional outburst the day before, where Marinette was accused of bullying the transfer student.

Marinette could feel Adrien's gaze on the side of her face.

He squeezed her hand, silently conveying his support for her.

The Marinette of a few days ago was still in the back of her head, roaring for Lila to _never _touch Adrien without his express permission. But the Marinette of today recognized that stopping Lila took more finesse. A lot more finesse.

"Yes, let's," Marinette breathed, "I can't imagine what it's like to just compulsively blurt out whatever comes to mind and to suffer from chronic memory loss because of it. Perhaps you should ask Adrien's father to run a campaign that'll bring awareness to your condition."

Lila didn't reply.

She glared down at Marinette, hoping to convey her warning to the raven-haired girl.

_I will destroy you_.

"Your photographs turned out beautifully, Lila," Marinette added with a smile. "Perhaps, in the future, you'll be able to model for me?"

"Maybe," Lila hummed, "I should make sure Mr. Agreste will be okay with me modeling clothes made by an amateur. You do understand?"

The class shuffled uncomfortably, and Marinette could already sense Alya making a beeline for her desk, well-aware that Marinette's designs weren't a line to cross. Unlike other times, Marinette didn't take Lila's jab to heart. What would she know about fashion design anyway?

Taking on Lila required resourcefulness and creativity, something that Lila hasn't had to go up against since she walked through Miss Bustier's door.

That is, until Marinette decided that she wasn't going to let Lila carry on the way she was. The uncomfortable look on Adrien's face was enough for Marinette to disregard every single thing he mentioned about exposing the goddamned liar.

Contrary to what Adrien said, Lila _was _hurting people.

She was hurting Marinette. She was hurting her friends and classmates. She was hurting Alya and her credibility. She was hurting Adrien.

If Lila wanted to play a game, then Marinette was more than willing to play by her own rules.

Marinette grinned, a little too widely at the girl, "Oh, it's no worry at all. Considering the fact that he hand-picked my design as the winner in his latest contest and had Adrien walk with my design, I'm sure it'll be fine."

Going up against Lila meant that you needed to be clever.

Unfortunately for Lila Rossi, Marinette Dupain-Cheng moonlighted as a superhero who was the epitome of resourcefulness, creativity, and, most of all, justice. The very superhero who had beaten Lila as an akuma on two different occasions.

The score was two to zilch with Ladybug in the lead, and Marinette decided that she'd be _damned _if she let the likes of Lila Rossi outfox her.

* * *

As it turned out, Marinette's confidence could be compared to that of a Star mode power up in Mario Kart.

Halfway through Miss Bustier's lesson on the French Revolution, Marinette was summoned to the headmaster's office. She wasn't surprised to find the doctor sitting in Mr. Damocles' seat, dressed in a similar dark green pantsuit that she had wore yesterday.

Marinette knocked, "You called for me, Doctor?"

"Ah, Miss Dupain-Cheng," she beckoned Marinette into the room, "Please, have a seat."

Mr. Damocles' office, normally a well-lit and warm environment, had been transformed into what Marinette could only assume was an interrogation room. The office blinds were drawn, hidden behind the thick black-out curtains Mr. Damocles normally had pinned back.

The only source of light other than the window in the front door came from the tiny desk lamp at the edge of the desk.

Steeling herself, Marinette walked into the dark room.

The principal's phonograph in the background was playing, for once. Marinette vaguely recognized the song, as it was one her grandfather often played at his home.

The familiarity, however, was not comforting.

A chill ran down Marinette's spine as a gust of cold air blew down from the vents above. The doctor kept Mr. Damocles' office noticeably colder than the rest of the school. The girl couldn't help but find the conditions of the room fitting for the circumstances.

Dr. Ursule Robespierre sat with her hands folded together. Marinette noted that the doctor's black leather gloves had been placed neatly on the edge of the desk, revealing a plain silver wedding band.

The smell of rubbing alcohol—most likely from the bottle of hand sanitizer nearby—filled Marinette's nose, causing her eyes to sting. The headmaster's desk had been recently scrubbed down, the streak marks from the anti-bacterial wipes the doctor used still drying on the surface of the desk.

Careful to not touch the surface, Marinette slid into the chair.

The doctor didn't seem to be the type to exchange pleasantries. Marinette waited for the doctor to speak, wanting nothing more than to finish this meeting with the good doctor.

Mercifully, she spoke after only a few moments.

"Before we begin, I would like to preface our conversation with a few precautions," she began, reaching over for her black gloves. Slowly, she slid them onto her hands, flexing her fingers to ensure they were on snugly.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng," the doctor said, "Do you realize the severity of the allegations that were reported against this school, your administrators and your classmate?"

"I do," Marinette's parents had sat her down yesterday evening, informing her of what she was to expect from the investigation. Somewhere in the back of Marinette's mind, she began to think her parents didn't predict someone like the good doctor showing up at school.

Marinette wasn't sure how to feel about the intimidating woman.

"I also hope you understand that it would be wise to tell me the truth, and that I will expect nothing less than the truth."

She nodded, and it seemed to satisfy the doctor enough.

"I am going to ask you a few questions," she said lowly, "you will tell me exactly what I ask for and only elaborate if I ask you to. Am I clear?"

"Yes, doctor."

"Good."

The doctor stood from her desk, slowly pacing the office. For a few moments, she said nothing, merely exploring the headmaster's office, observing his knickknacks. Marinette was vaguely reminded of a shark circling its prey.

When the doctor drew close to Marinette, the girl fought the urge to turn around, the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight up.

"Did you cheat on Miss Bustier's exam?" the doctor asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Marinette shivered, but answered quickly, mustering up the courage to speak into the cold office space.

"No."

"Did you push Lila Rossi down the stairs?" she asked again, not acknowledging Marinette's first answer.

"No," Marinette said again, the answer coming out just as easily as the first had.

Marinette understood that didn't have anything to be afraid of, since the doctor was investigating allegations against the school, and not the allegations Lila made against _her_. She shuddered, looking for a sense of comfort in the void.

Of course, Tikki had felt Marinette's anxiety at once, patting the girl's hip from within her bag. The gestured calmed the girl just in time for the doctor's next question.

"Did you steal Lila Rossi's necklace?"

"No." The answer came out effortlessly.

The questions and answers were rapid-pace, asked and answered in quick succession without any room to think. Marinette wondered if Lila had the audacity to try to lie to this woman. She thanked the universe that interrogations were happening one-on-one because she did _not _want to be around when Lila tried to talk to the doctor.

"So, tell me Miss Dupain-Cheng," the doctor drawled, her voice echoing from the opposite side of the room, near the bookshelves, "how would you describe your relationship with Miss Rossi? Were you," she paused for a moment, "…_friends _at one point?"

"Not at all," Marinette answered, "She's a liar—"

"—I'll be the judge of that," the doctor cut in smoothly, "Now, we've already read the incident report on this matter, but I would like for you to walk me through what happened that day."

It was an easy enough directive.

Marinette swallowed, "Well, after lunch Miss Bustier told the class that she had received a tip that I had cheated on the exam and asked me to bring my backpack up to the front. When I opened it, the answer key was sitting there, though I have no idea how it got there in the first place. Most of my classmates tried defending me, including Lila, but I—" Marinette cringed, "—openly accused Lila of sneaking the key into my bag. Ms. Bustier told me not to blame people without proof, but I was so sure it was Lila. Anyway, she sent us off to Mr. Damocles' office shortly after."

The doctor's face expressed nothing. She merely nodded for Marinette to continue her story.

"Lila and I," Marinette shared, "don't get along, and when we were walking towards the principal's office, she told me she'd like to see how she'd get out of this one. I didn't understand what she meant until she walked down the stairs, laid down, and began screaming."

Her eyes stung at the memory, but she continued, "Naturally, everybody, including Mr. Damocles, came to see what was going on, and she told him that I pushed her down the stairs. That's when my parents were called in, and Lila told them about how I had bullied her, but it couldn't have been further from the truth—"

"Miss Dupain-Cheng," the doctor interrupted again, "I will be the judge of that, now please continue your story."

"Right," Marinette said, "Well, that's when she told everyone that I had stolen her necklace, and when I asked for proof, she led us to my locker."

"Where the pendant was?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And how were you reinstated?" the doctor inquired.

Marinette shrugged, "Lila admitted to the principal that she had a medical condition that caused her to say all these crazy stories, and that I wasn't guilty of any of the things I had been accused of. It was enough for Mr. Damocles to admit me back to school, although you already know my parents were not happy about it."

"Indeed," she agreed. The doctor crossed back towards the desk, where she sat down.

"You mentioned that you and Miss Rossi didn't get along well," she commented, her dark gaze meeting Marinette's blazing blue stare, "I take it the feeling is mutual on her end?"

Marinette could almost imagine how Lila would respond to this question, though Marinette also knew that she didn't have anything to lose by answering this truthfully. She had a feeling the doctor already knew the answers before she said them.

She slumped in her seat, "Yes, but I doubt she'd openly admit it. She's only ever…forthcoming with her feelings when we're by ourselves. She doesn't like me because I'm one of the only people in class who doesn't buy her elaborate stories."

"Do you know of anyone else who doesn't?"

"Adrien Agreste," she answered, "He's the only other person who knew about Lila, though there was no way Lila was going to have him expelled."

The doctor paused briefly before taking out her tablet and tapping away at the touch screen. Marinette wondered if she was going to bring Adrien in for questioning next.

Marinette wasn't entirely sure if feeling relieved was a normal feeling after an interrogation, but she felt easier now that she was able to tell her side. Granted, Dr. Robespierre was not someone to vent to about how she _felt_, it still felt nice to tell exactly what happened.

The doctor stood from the desk, "You may return to class," she said. "If I have any more questions, I'll call you back down."

Marinette didn't have to be told twice. She leaped up from her seat, "Yes. Thank you, doctor."

As therapeutic as this turned out to be, Marinette didn't want to spend another second in Dr. Robespierre's interrogation room.

She wondered how Lila would fare with her own interview.

* * *

By the time Marinette had returned, Miss Bustier had just dismissed class for lunch. Her heart soared at the sight of Adrien waiting by her desk.

"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien greeted, "You ready?"

"Yep," she chirped, grabbing her bags, "Let's go!"

The rest of their class had assembled in the school's main courtyard, along with all the other classes. Marinette suspected they were all headed to the cafeteria for lunch. Alya spotted the two and jogged over, pulling Nino along with her.

"You guys eating here today?" she asked, "I think Lila was talking about telling us about her latest visit with Clara Nightingale. Can you believe how frequently she travels over the weekend?"

"Some people have all the luck," Nino huffed. "But no seriously, how does she even keep up with homework?"

Marinette shrugged.

"We're headed over to Marinette's for lunch," Adrien explained, "There was something I needed to show her, and I didn't have time to before."

Marinette could just _hear _her best friend's thoughts as a sly grin curled onto her face, "Oh, well don't let us stop you two!" she said, shooting Marinette a look that the girl interpreted as _Details. Give me all of them. _

She was all too quick to excuse herself and Nino

"Later, dudes!" Nino called over his shoulder as Alya towed him away.

Adrien, thankfully, didn't notice the exchange between the two best friends, instead choosing to offer Marinette his arm.

"Shall we, my lady?" it was almost uncanny how much he reminded Marinette of a certain silly feline. The gesture brought a smile to Marinette's face and she shyly took Adrien's arm.

"We shall."


End file.
